Electrochemical cells, which include battery cells (also characterized as “batteries”), are useful articles that provide stored electrical energy that can be used to energize a multitude of devices, particularly portable devices that require an electrical power source. The cell is an electrochemical apparatus typically formed of at least one electrolyte (also referred to as an “electrolytic conductor”) disposed between a pair of spaced apart electrodes. The electrodes are the reactants for a chemical reaction that is facilitated by ion transport through the electrolyte that, in turn, causes an electric current to flow between the electrodes when electrical contact is made between non-electrolyte-contacting ends of the electrodes. Typically, the electric current flows through an electric circuit that is completed by an object or device (generally referred to as the “load”) to be powered. The flow of electrons through the electric circuit is accompanied and caused by a flow of ions in and through the electrolyte.
In a rechargeable battery cell, which is often referred to as a “secondary battery,” after the cell has partially or fully discharged its electrical potential, the chemical reaction may be reversed by applying an electric current to the cell that causes electrons to flow in a reverse direction through the electrodes which thereby causes ions to be conducted through the electrolyte in a reverse direction as well. Due to the chemical properties of lithium, secondary batteries that have lithium as the sole or predominant electrode material are very desirable because of the high energy density and high power density such batteries provide.
Two types of lithium cells/batteries that are desirable are so-called lithium metal batteries and lithium-ion batteries. They are distinguished from each other by the types of anode used. Lithium metal batteries employ lithium metal anodes whereas lithium-ion batteries employ lithium reactive (also called “active”) anodes. An example of a lithium reactive anode is anode material such as graphite having interstices into which lithium ions are intercalated to await reaction. A separator is positioned between the anode and cathode to prevent electrical contact between the two. The separator is typically porous or a soft liquid polymer gel material configured to allow electrolyte to extend between the anode and cathode as a continuum for ion conduction.
Internal short circuits can occur in lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries. The main source of internal shorts has been mossy lithium growth that occurs during recharge. Low density dendritic lithium plated during recharge can grow through the separator resulting in a short circuit, particularly if the separator is porous or a soft solid such as a gelled polymer that can be easily penetrated by the growth.
Such shorts can result in high rate self-discharge which can cause overheating. Heat generated by an internal short can vaporize the electrolyte resulting in extreme pressure and rupture of the battery casing. Temperatures can be high enough to ignite escaping electrolyte vapors causing continuing degradation with lithium participating in the burning reaction releasing violent levels of energy and, ultimately, causing a fire.
Lithium-ion batteries were developed to eliminate mossy lithium growth at the anode by using an active material such as graphite or silicon to intercalate the lithium supplied to the anode during recharge.
Although lithium-ion batteries are much safer than earlier designs that employed lithium metal anodes, violent failures still occur.
As an approach to solving the dendrite-growth problem in lithium batteries efforts have been undertaken to provide a separator that effectively inhibits the passage of dendrites but that does not inhibit the conduct of lithium ions. Such efforts have met with limited success. Solid polymers that conduct lithium ions have been investigated for use as separators. One type of solid polymer that has been researched for development as a lithium-ion conductor is poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Related literature on the topic includes:                Jeffrey W. Fergus. “Ceramic and polymeric solid electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries.” Journal of Power Sources 195 (2010): 4554-4569.        Felix B. Dias, Lambertus Plomp, and Jakobert B. J. Veldhuis. “Trends in polymer electrolytes for secondary lithium batteries.” Journal of Power Sources 88 (2000): 169-191.        Hadar Mazor, Diana Golodnitsky, Yuri Rosenberg, Emanuel Peled, Wladek Wieczorek, and Bruno Scrosatid. “Solid Composite Polymer Electrolytes with High Cation Transference Number.” Israel Journal of Chemistry Vol. 48 2008: 259-268.        Mary Ann B. Meador, Valerie A. Cubon, Daniel A. Scheiman, and William R. Bennett. “Effect of Branching on Rod-Coil Block Polyimides as Membrane Materials for Lithium Polymer Batteries.” Chem. Mater. 2003, 15: 3018-3025.        Dean M. Tigelaar, Allyson E. Palker, Mary Ann B. Meador, and William R. Bennett. “Synthesis and Compatibility of Ionic Liquid Containing Rod-Coil Polyimide Gel Electrolytes with Lithium Metal Electrodes.” Journal of The Electrochemical Society 155 (10) (2008): A768-A774.However, one inadequacy of the PEO polymer as a separator is that it performs best at low temperatures. This can be a problem because the temperature of a rechargeable cell will rise when it is cycled between discharge and charge. When the temperature of the cell increases, the temperature of the PEO separator likewise increases. An increase in temperature causes the PEO separator to soften and become less effective in inhibiting dendrite penetration. In addition, multiple recycling may cause the PEO separator to degrade for reasons other than an increase in temperature.        
Another characteristic of PEO when used as a separator that is problematic relates to a structural change that occurs when the separator is wetted by liquid electrolyte solvents that are typically employed in rechargeable cells. When PEO is wetted with either a liquid electrolyte or the solvent that comprises the liquid electrolyte, the separator softens and swells as it becomes plasticized. The swelling mechanism is caused by the molecules of the separator structure moving further apart. The resulting softening and extended spacing of molecules promotes improved conductivity of lithium ions but also decreases the effectiveness of the PEO structure as a separator because it permits the extension of dendrites through the separator.
Kynar® brand of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is another polymer that has been investigated as a separator for lithium cells. Kynar® is a registered trademark owned by Arkema Inc., 900 First Avenue, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406. Kynar® PVDF polymer has been used as a separator in a manner similar to the use of PEO as a separator. As in the case of the PEO-liquid-electrolyte/solvent combination described above, a Kynar® PVDF polymer matrix that is infused with a liquid electrolyte or solvent also swells. And also as in the case of PEO, swelling promotes the passage of dendrites. Related literature on the use of Kynar® PVDF polymer as a separator includes:                Jeffrey W. Fergus. “Ceramic and polymeric solid electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries.” Journal of Power Sources 195 (2010): 4554-4569.        Felix B. Dias, Lambertus Plomp, and Jakobert B. J. Veldhuis. “Trends in polymer electrolytes for secondary lithium batteries.” Journal of Power Sources 88 (2000): 169-191.        
Polyimides also have been investigated for use as separators. Polyimides are a group of polymers that are considered to be robust and high-performance polymers. These polymers are capable of operating at high temperatures and have high mechanical strength. Polyimide polymers have been considered as solid polymer electrolytes for batteries and fuel cells as conductors for both protons and lithium ions. Literature related to this topic includes:                Mary Ann B. Meador, Valerie A. Cubon, Daniel A. Scheiman, and William R. Bennett. “Effect of Branching on Rod-Coil Block Polyimides as Membrane Materials for Lithium Polymer Batteries.” Chem. Mater. 2003, 15: 3018-3025.        Dean M. Tigelaar, Allyson E. Palker, Mary Ann B. Meador, and William R. Bennett. “Synthesis and Compatibility of Ionic Liquid Containing Rod-Coil Polyimide Gel Electrolytes with Lithium Metal Electrodes.” Journal of The Electrochemical Society 155 (10) (2008): A768-A774.        Y. S. Pak and G. Xu. “Ionic transport measurements of LiCF3SO3 doped polyimide-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid copolymer.” Solid States Ionics 67, (1993): 165-169.        S. B. Tian, Y. S. Pak, and G. Xu. “Polyimide-Polysiloxane-Segmented Copolymers as High-Temperature Polymer Electrolytes.” Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics Vol. 32, (1994): 2019-2023.        Jang-Hoon Park, Jong-Su Kim, Eun-Gi Shim, Kyung-Won Park, Young Taik Hong, Yun-Sung Lee, and Sang-Young Lee. “Polyimide gel polymer electrolyte-nanoencapsulated LiCoO2 cathode materials for high-voltage Li-ion batteries”, Electrochemistry Communications 12 (2010): 1099-1102.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,672 issued Mar. 30, 1999, to Scott Gustafson and Joseph T. Antonucci, for POLYIMIDE BATTERY.        U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2004/0229127 published Nov. 18, 2004, filed by inventors C. Glen Wensley and Scott Gustafson, for POLYIMIDE MATRIX ELECTROLYTE.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,005 issued Oct. 31, 2006, to C. Glen Wensley, Scott Gustafson, Craig R. Nelson, Robert W. Singleton, Alain Vallee, and Dany Brouillette for POLYIMIDE MATRIX ELECTROLYTE AND IMPROVED BATTERIES THEREFROM.        
Pak et al. studied the lithium ion transport of LiCF3SO3-doped polyimide-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid copolymer. See Y. S. Pak and G. Xu. “Ionic transport measurements of LiCF3SO3-doped polyimide-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid copolymer.” Solid States Ionics 67, (1993): 165-169. They were able to improve the conductivity of the un-doped polymer by three orders of magnitude to a best conductivity of 10−9 S/cm at 300 degrees C. However, this conductivity is still low for practical use in lithium-ion or lithium metal batteries.
Tian et al. investigated doping another copolymer, namely, polyimide-polysiloxane, with the salt LiCF3SO3. See S. B. Tian, Y. S. Pak, and G. Xu. “Polyimide-Polysiloxane-Segmented Copolymers as High-Temperature Polymer Electrolytes.” Journal of Polymer Science: Part B: Polymer Physics Vol. 32, (1994): 2019-2023. These researchers noted an improvement in ionic conductivity from 10−9 to 10−7 S/cm at 300° C., but noted that ion conductivity was much lower (10−10 S/cm) at room temperature.
Tigelaar and coworkers developed a rod-coil polyimide polymer-gel electrolyte that contains an ionic liquid. See Dean M. Tigelaar, Allyson E. Palker, Mary Ann B. Meador, and William R. Bennett. “Synthesis and Compatibility of Ionic Liquid Containing Rod-Coil Polyimide Gel Electrolytes with Lithium Metal Electrodes.” Journal of The Electrochemical Society 155 (10) (2008): A768-A774. The researchers cross-linked polyimide and PEO to obtain a rod-coil structure, and then doped it with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LITFSI) salt. They were able to achieve high conductivity of 10−2 S/cm when the doped structure was soaked with an ionic liquid. The resulting gel-polymer that was formed was able to hold over 4 times its weight in ionic liquid. Even though this copolymer might be more thermally stable than PEO, the fact that it is a gel soaked with electrolyte still creates safety issues, namely, dendrites could be formed and the voltage (and current) at which the copolymer material will break down after repeated cycling is much lower than in a pure conductive polyimide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,672 issued to Gustafson et al. discloses a battery wherein each of the anode, cathode and electrolyte layer is based upon soluble, amorphous, thermoplastic polyimide. The resulting electrolyte layer is a solid polyimide electrolyte. The inventors were able to obtain conductivity of 10−4 S/cm. The major problem with this polymer electrolyte is that the polymer used is a thermoplastic and is soluble in various solvents. Therefore, when used in a battery where liquid electrolyte is present the solvent from the electrolyte will dissolve or soften the polymer thus resulting in the formation of dendrites, which in turn results in short circuits.
There are other instances where a polyimide polymer is used to make a gel polymer electrolyte similar to the formation of a gel PEO polymer electrolyte described herein above. For example, in inventions disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2004/0229127 filed by inventors C. Glen Wensley and Scott Gustafson, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,005 issued to inventors C. Glen Wensley, Scott Gustafson, Craig R. Nelson, Robert W. Singleton, Alain Vallee, and Dany Brouillette, the inventors used various polyimides and doped them with LITFSI salt and a solvent. In these instances the polyimides are soluble in the solvent and the solvent remains a part of the electrolyte system. Therefore the polymer, salt and solvent all participate in the ionic conduction mechanism. If the solvent to polymer ratio is high, the electrolyte membrane will be soft and cannot be used as an effective barrier for separating electrodes in batteries.
Polymer gel electrolytes that have been developed represent safety improvements over liquid electrolytes. Although these electrolytes will suppress dendritic shorts longer, there still remain operability and safety issues that are of concern. Because these gel electrolytes have pores filled with salts and solvent, there is a restriction in the temperature range of operation. One aspect of the problem is that the gel may melt at high temperatures and freeze at low temperatures and thus become unsuitable for its intended purpose. Another aspect of the problem is that the polymer is soluble in the solvent and may not be able to cycle at high voltages without breaking down and thus becoming an ineffective barrier. Thus there still is a need for the development of improved solid polymer electrolytes that are not soluble in the solvent for the liquid electrolyte and that will not break down during cycling.